WASHINGTON () Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before a House subcommittee Tuesday, where lawmakers pressed him over the cost of deploying Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles during immigration raids.
According to the Pentagon, the deployment will cost at least $134 million and mostly cover “just the cost of travel, housing and food” for about 700 active-duty Marines and more than 4,100 National Guard troops sent to protect federal buildings and personnel.
“We stated very publicly that it’s 60 days because we want to ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we’re not going anywhere,” Hegseth told lawmakers.
Following persistent questioning, Hegseth turned to his acting comptroller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who confirmed the total and said the funds will come from operations and maintenance accounts.
While the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits troops from policing U.S. citizens on American soil, it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows troops to do so.
Hegseth faces scrutiny from Democrats
The hearing marks Hegseth’s first public appearance on Capitol Hill since his Senate confirmation, which required a tie-breaking vote. It was the closest vote of any of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointees.
Hegseth faced questions on what some lawmakers called “rash” or “reckless” decisions or actions dating back to his first day in office.
In opening statements, lawmakers asked about Hegseth’s decisions to fire top military leaders, his use of Signal and other controversies, including his firing of several staff members in his inner circle.
“The Department of Defense is mired in controversy and chaos,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the full committee.
House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee ranking member Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., criticized Trump’s decision to deploy active-duty U.S. Marines to Los Angeles as “downright escalatory.”
“Active-duty military has absolutely no role in domestic law enforcement, and they are not trained for those missions,” McCollum said in opening statements. “I ask you, Mr. Secretary, and I ask the president: Follow the law.”
Hegseth also made no mention of a decision to deploy Marines into Los Angeles to respond to immigration raid protests. Instead, he clung closely to the talking points he’s used since taking office, such as emphasizing that “DEI is dead,” and that he’s focused on a return to “lethality.”
Signal controversy
Hegseth completed his opening statement with no mention of his controversial use of Signal, of the lack of defense budget details to guide Congress, or his controversial firings of his own staff or military leaders.
Hegseth has also drawn criticism for sharing sensitive military details over Signal, a private messaging app. One group chat, started by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz, was used to share sensitive information about U.S. strikes in Yemen and included senior administration officials and the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.
DeLauro criticized Hegseth’s “careless sharing of military secrets,” and blamed it for Waltz’s transition from national security adviser to Trump’s pick for U.N. ambassador.
Multiple investigations are currently underway. The Defense Department’s acting inspector general is examining whether classified information was mishandled and whether aides were asked to delete any Signal messages.
Hegseth’s testimony on Tuesday is the first in a series of appearances. He will also testify before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on Wednesday and the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
Lawmakers are expected to grill him on additional Pentagon spending controversies, including a proposed $45 million military parade which coincides with Trump’s birthday and the Army’s 250th celebration, as well as plans to turn a Qatari jet into a new Air Force One.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
